How to Deal with Breathing Problems in Rats?

Rats often visit veterinary clinics for respiratory problems, and these problems usually develop quickly. It is important for pet owners to know the causes, prevention, and treatment of respiratory problems in rats.

What causes respiratory problems in rats?


There are several factors that can cause respiratory problems in pets. The type and condition of bedding, the cleanliness of the living environment, and various diseases and infections can cause respiratory problems in pets.

Bacterial infections - Mycoplasma is a bacterium carried by most pet rats. Streptococcus, Bordetella (the same bacterium that causes kennel cough), and Pasteurella can also cause respiratory problems but are not as serious as mycoplasmosis.

Human infection with the Seoul virus can be asymptomatic or severe and require hospitalization.
Bedding problems - if the cause is in the floor of the pet rat cage, dusty, dirty bedding and cedar chips are the main causes of respiratory illness. Do not use cedar chips as bedding material and make sure the bedding is clean and dust free

Cold - Rats can catch a cold if they are too close to air conditioning vents, windows, and doors. Sudden changes in temperature can affect rats' ability to breathe.



Treatment of Respiratory Problems in Rats


If respiratory problems are present, regardless of whether the nasal or ocular discharge is present, an exotics specialist should be consulted as soon as possible and treatment initiated. If a more severe illness than a cold is diagnosed, treatment will depend on the symptoms.

The veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics and other medications depending on the severity of the illness.

Gradually, new treatments will become available, so with your veterinarian's permission, you may try new methods or one day find a vaccine or treatment.

Until then, rats diagnosed with mycoplasmosis can live for several years and maintain a good quality of life despite chronic drug treatment
Other bacterial infections - treatment should be initiated immediately as infection can rapidly progress to pneumonia. Streptococcal infections are often fatal to rats but can save their lives if antibiotics are used before they develop pneumonia.

A clean environment is very important for the health of imprisoned rats. Try using shredded paper instead of wood chips in the cage. It is inexpensive and can be easily removed and replaced.
Colds - if the body is cold, your veterinarian can recommend the best treatment for the rat. Upper respiratory infections often develop into lower respiratory infections that require a lot of care.

These respiratory problems may not be caused by bacteria such as streptococcus or mycoplasma, but should be treated as soon as possible with appropriate medication and heat.

Prevention of Respiratory Problems in Rats


The best prevention of respiratory problems in rats is to keep their enclosures clean. Rats can easily transmit diseases among themselves.

So unless you know what diseases other rats might have, you should not let your pet live with other rats.

If sick rats are kept with other rats, isolate infected rats from other rats and wash your hands thoroughly after handling the rats.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Care for Hamsters?

Image
Hamsters are a very common domestic animal. These little rodents usually live about two years and are best kept alone. There are many different breeds of hamsters, varying in size and characteristics. To purchase the appropriate size cage and equipment, research the breed you are keeping and its overall size. Hamsters are nocturnal by nature, so be prepared for nocturnal noises and make sure the animal cage is in the right place for you and your pet. Before You Begin Before you buy your pet, make sure you have a home for him or her to help reduce the stress of adjusting to a new home. Hamsters have special needs. They need exercise, mental stimulation, and an airy cage with a hiding place. They also need a varied diet that includes both commercial and fresh foods. Make sure you know what your new pet can (and cannot) eat. What You Will Need You will need to purchase the necessary supplies for your hamster, such as Cage Bedding and nesting material Food Food bowl Water bottle Bike Home ...
Read more

How to Deal with the Dead Hamster

Image
The life span of a hamster is very short. Although it has only accompanied us for two or three years, it is inhumane to throw away the body after death. For, I summed up the experience of many netizens, to give you a few tips. I believe that in the future   your hamster   will also deal with this kind of thing. You need the first rule out whether the hamster is pretending to be dead Immediately separate the dead hamster from the live one first to rule out whether it is pretending to be dead. After the hamster is really dead,  the living hamster  may destroy the corpse. In addition, the bacteria will make other hamsters sick after the hamster corpse rots. So the first thing to do is to put the body taken out and the cage sterilized. The best way - cremated hamster corpses often contain a lot of bacteria. If they are not handled in time, they will get sick. And the hamster is not very big. If you wrap it in the newspaper, put it in a container that will not catch fire,...
Read more

Where to put a Hamster Cage?

Image
How to place the hamster cage so that the smell does not stink? Which is in line with the habits of hamsters. Hamsters are nocturnal animals and are sensitive to the temperature and light of the living environment. Therefore, the placement of hamster cages at home needs particular attention. You cannot place them randomly. Generally, hamster cage placement should pay attention to the following points. How to Place a Hamster Cage? Hamsters like to live in dark caves when they are in the wild. After being raised as pets, they still like to live in dark corners. Therefore, it is best to place the hamster hutch in a dark place. Do not let it be exposed to direct sunlight, let alone be exposed to the sun. 2. Although hamsters like dark places, they do not like humidity, so it is best not to place the cage directly on the ground. The hamster can be placed in a place with a certain height, preferably 0.5-1 meters above the ground, which is not only easy to observe the life of the hamster but ...
Read more